Susan Barton loves hearing from parents about the impact Barton tutoring has had on their child, as this parent shared:
“We first noticed our daughter, Ella, was struggling in kindergarten. When her school closed because of COVID, her teacher sent home sight words to practice. No matter how many times we reviewed them, she could not remember them. The next morning, it was as if she had never seen them before. We became very concerned.
In first grade, Ella started receiving extra help at school from the Reading Specialist. It wasn’t long before we knew she needed more intense intervention. While sharing our concerns with other parents, two moms encouraged us to have Ella evaluated at the Dyslexia Reading Connection, and we will be forever grateful for their advice.
When Ella was diagnosed with dyslexia, our overwhelming feeling was relief. We finally understood why reading was so hard for her.
Ella talks openly about her dyslexia and embraces the unique way her brain works. We remind her often that she is “perfectly and wonderfully made,” and this journey has only strengthened that belief.
The Barton Reading & Spelling System has truly helped our daughter. The transformation has been remarkable. Today, Ella is reading at grade level! Barton tutoring has given her the confidence to do anything. We are so thankful to you, the staff at DRC, and Ms. Karrie — her incredible tutor.
Jackie Sharkey Parent Appleton, WI
Karrie Brass Certified Barton Tutor at the Masters Level Appleton, WI
Susan Barton loves hearing from graduates of the Barton Reading & Spelling System who are thriving as adults. Here’s Jordan’s story:
Throughout much of his childhood and adolescence, Jordan bore a silent burden that few around him noticed. Reading even simple three-letter words felt like climbing a mountain. As classmates zipped through homework and read aloud with ease, Jordan’s world was filled with anxiety, confusion, and a growing sense of inadequacy.
“Growing up, school was very difficult because I couldn’t read,” he remembers. “And everything you do in school is reading.”
Jordan was dyslexic, though no one had named it yet. His mother tried computer-based programs like Hooked on Phonics, and he was placed in special education classes. But nothing truly helped.
That changed when Jordan’s aunt recommended the Barton Reading & Spelling System. With the help of two dedicated tutors—Certified Barton Tutor Laurie Butler and Susan Barton herself—Jordan finally began to make progress. As his reading improved, his confidence blossomed. One day, he proudly read a paragraph aloud in class—a moment that once felt was impossible.
Then came another turning point. Jordan earned a perfect score on the reading portion of his GED exam.
“I was so excited and happy,” he shares, “because for the first time in my life, I got a 100% on something I could never do before.”
Today, Jordan enjoys reading books, spending time with his family, and caring for his Rottweiler, Geri. He has a successful career and a message of hope: With the right support, it’s never too late to learn.
Susan Barton truly appreciates hearing from graduates of the Barton Reading & Spelling System as they share their unique dyslexia journeys. Here’s Ruby’s story:
Ruby always knew that she “had something” because she felt like she learned differently from her classmates. She couldn’t read until third grade and constantly struggled with spelling. “For a long time, I felt stupid, like I couldn’t learn anything,” she recalls. “I just thought I was dumb.”
Everything changed when her mom discovered the Barton Reading & Spelling System. Ruby was nervous the first time she met with her Certified Barton Tutor, Laurie Frydenlund. But soon she realized that Laurie understood her in a way her teachers at school never had. Working through the Barton System gave Ruby confidence — something she says she never had before.
One memory that stands out for Ruby is riding in the car with her mom and suddenly realizing she could read the street signs. “I could never do that before, and that is probably why I want to be an educator,” Ruby shares. “Because of Barton, I found a love of learning, and I want to help kids learn too.”
Looking back, Ruby knows her journey would have been very different without the right type of tutoring. “The Barton Reading & Spelling System changes people’s lives 100%. I think about it all the time — what I would be without Barton. I would be a different person for sure.”
For much of her life, Yvette Jones carried the quiet weight of not knowing why reading was so difficult. It wasn’t until adulthood that she discovered she has dyslexia—and with that discovery came both relief and hope. Her story reminds us that it is never too late to understand your challenges and find the right tools to succeed.
When Yvette began Barton tutoring, she experienced what she calls her “aha moment.” For the first time, reading started to make sense. The barriers that once felt permanent began to break down, replaced by confidence and joy. Her journey shows the incredible power of structured literacy—not just for children, but for learners of any age.
Yvette’s testimony is proof that dyslexia doesn’t define your potential or put an expiration date on learning. Whether you are six or sixty, the Barton Reading & Spelling System can open new doors and offer the gift of reading. Now she shares that freedom with others. She tells parents who feel lost, “You are not alone. Dyslexia is not a weakness—it’s a gift.” Instead of hiding, Yvette speaks openly, serves at her church, and inspires others with her simple, powerful message:
“It’s never too late to learn. Dyslexia doesn’t define you—it can empower you.”
Watch this short 8-minute video to hear Yvette’s inspiring story in her own words.
Susan Barton loves hearing how Barton tutoring has changed a child’s life, as this Certified Barton Tutor shared:
Susan,
I’m thrilled to share an exciting update about one of my Barton students.
Benjamin struggled with reading and spelling from a very young age. Even when he was eight years old, he could not decode simple three-letter words and frequently wrote letters backwards. At first, his mother chalked it up to him being the youngest child. She tried many different reading programs, but none of them helped her son, and he continued to fall further behind.
Benjamin was formally diagnosed with dyslexia when he was 11. A year later, I began tutoring him using the Barton Reading & Spelling System. From the start, he showed tremendous dedication, worked incredibly hard, and ultimately, completed all ten levels.
Once Benjamin completed the Barton System, we started working on written expression using the IEW curriculum. Because of his creativity and intellect, I encouraged him to submit one of his stories to an international contest.
Today, Benjamin is a high school senior. He recently competed in his first speech competition and advanced to the regional level. He was also awarded a Karina Eide Young Writers Award for his exceptional short story, The Doppelgänger’s Dilemma.
It’s incredible to think that the same student who could not decode three-letter words is now delivering speeches and writing award-winning stories with confidence.
I am incredibly proud of the young man Benjamin has become and the inspiration he is to others who are walking a similar path.
Thank you, Susan. Your program truly changes lives.
Kristi Davis Certified Barton Tutor at the Masters Level IEW Accredited Writing Instructor
Susan Barton loves hearing about college-bound Barton students – like this one.
Dear Susan,
I love your newsletters! My 17-year-old daughter, Alyssa, is currently in Level 8 of the Barton Reading & Spelling System, and it has made such a difference in her life. Before starting Barton, she went through the Wilson program at a private school she attended from 1st to 6th grade. The Barton System has been a powerful resource for our daughter—not just in improving her reading, writing, and spelling, but also in helping with her anxiety and self-esteem.
Alyssa really struggled in elementary school. In kindergarten and first grade, we would spend one to two hours each night on homework that would take a typical child ten minutes to complete. Reading and spelling were extremely difficult for her, but she was always so determined to finish her assignments.
One day, I came across an Instagram post by someone I did not know personally. She shared that she was receiving dyslexia tutoring as an adult and mentioned that her father, a successful CEO, had also discovered his dyslexia later in life. She spoke about how transformative tutoring had been for both of them—not just academically, but emotionally.
That post led me to reach out to her and, eventually, to her mother, who is a Barton tutor. The rest is history! Alyssa’s tutor has helped her make tremendous progress with reading, writing, and spelling, and has also become a mentor and dear friend. Alyssa says the Barton System has boosted her confidence, helped her discover the joy of reading, improved her communications skills, and made completing schoolwork much easier.
Alyssa will head off to college this June, confident, happy, and beautiful. We are incredibly proud of how far she has come and can’t wait to see what her future holds.
Susan Barton loves hearing about college-bound Barton students – like this one.
Dear Susan,
I want to tell you about my incredible daughter. Signe loved being read to as a small child, and we would check out several books each week. But she was unable to read them on her own.
In 3rd grade, as the words got longer and more complex, she hit a wall in reading. No matter how many times we practiced sight words, they would not stick. And she became increasingly frustrated.
We spent the next four years working through your program. During this time,
we watched our daughter’s confidence soar as her reading and spelling skills improved.
Today, our daughter is a college freshman living two hours away on campus. She is balancing a full class schedule, including Speech, Math, 2D design, Global Fashion History, and Sewing. Her goal is to earn a degree in Fashion Design.
Before the school year began, Signe met with the accommodations department to make sure the necessary arrangements were in place to support her success as a student with dyslexia.
She receives extended time on tests, has access to audio textbooks, and uses a Smart Pen and tablet to help her take notes during lectures.
Watching our daughter become her own best advocate has been an incredible experience.
We are constantly in awe of her determination to succeed.
Susan Barton loves getting letters from parents, like this one:
Hi Susan,
I live in North Dakota and homeschool my 4 children. My biggest challenge was teaching my oldest how to read. I could not figure out why she was adding sounds that weren’t supposed to be there. And when reading a sentence, she would add or leave out words.
As time progressed, and Harper’s struggles intensified, I grew more concerned that she might be dyslexic. My son, who is 2 years younger, only needed 3 months of phonics and then began to read fluently. This only increased my fears about my oldest child.
A friend, who has two dyslexic children, finally told me, “If you think she’s dyslexic, then she probably is!”
So a few years ago, Harper started receiving Barton tutoring from a professional tutor twice a week. Today, she is almost done with Level 10.
Ours has been a long journey. My smart, clever daughter has gone from memorizing picture books and guessing at words to truly falling in love with books and reading. She has been voraciously reading The Keeper of The Lost Cities books.
A big milestone for us was when she asked me to go to Barnes and Noble to buy a chapter book!
This school year, Harper has relied heavily on Learning Ally. But what really boosted her confidence was when she tested at grade level in reading comprehension. Amazing!!
My daughter is considered profoundly dyslexic, so spelling and pronunciation are still tricky, and probably will always be. But she has come SO far!
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for creating such a wonderful program.
Sincerely,
Audrey Klumper, parent Christine, ND
P.S. Child #3 learned to read this year. But I suspect Child #4 is probably also dyslexic. We are up for the challenge because her big sister blazed a trail ahead of her.
Susan Barton loves teachers who understand dyslexia, notice students who have the warning signs, and share their suspicion with the parents. It often changes the entire future for that child, as this parent shares.
School was very difficult for my son. Although Bates was incredibly bright, he struggled to get his answers and ideas on paper.
We started his dyslexia journey when my son was in first grade. His wonderful teacher noticed he had many of the warning signs of dyslexia and dysgraphia.
I did not want my son to feel he wasn’t as good as the other kids because of his dyslexia. He was already extremely self-conscious about standing out and being perceived as different.
So I explained to him that everyone is different in one way or another. We are not all the same height or have the same eye color or hair color. The same is true for learning. Some people learn differently. This helped to ease his mind.
We are incredibly grateful that our son’s teacher pinpointed the cause of his struggles. With her help, we found two fantastic Barton tutors. Shortly after he began receiving Barton tutoring, we noticed our son’s confidence soar.
The Barton System has made a huge difference in my son’s life. Bates recently completed Level 10, and he now has the tools and the confidence to succeed.
Susan Barton loves hearing stories about the impact Barton tutoring has had on students, as this Certified Barton Tutor shared:
Dear Susan,
I’ve been meaning to write to you for some time. I have been using the Barton Reading & Spelling System for many years and I have helped many students who struggle with dyslexia.
Because of your incredible program, I can proudly say that each one of my students has a success story. There is one story that has especially touched me, and I have permission to share it. I have tears in my eyes while writing this.
Please meet my former student, Amanda.
When I started tutoring Amanda using the Barton System, she was in fifth grade but reading at only a first-grade level. The school’s recommendation was special education. Thankfully, her parents heard about your amazing program and contacted me.
Amanda worked incredibly hard to complete all ten levels. She is now a freshman at Boise State University, where she continues to thrive academically. As you might imagine, Amanda’s parents could not be prouder.
I’ve always had such a deep love of reading and helping struggling students. This is my true calling, and I consider myself fortunate to have the opportunity to help many students like Amanda.
So here’s my heartfelt thank you for creating a remarkable program, and for your dedication to making a positive impact in the lives of people with dyslexia. Without your vision and support, I would not possess the knowledge to make such a difference in the lives of others.
Every child has a right to learn to read.
With much gratitude,
Kim Vandiver
Certified Barton Tutor at the Masters level
Pleasanton, CA
Bright Solutions for Dyslexia 